The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 96

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 96

Chapter Title: Peach Preserves and Nightmares

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The following summer, Adrian planted a peach tree. Nina teased him, asking when she could eat the peaches.

But he hadn't just bought a peach tree.

That winter, Nina lay coughing and wheezing, yet she cried out, "Peach-," panting, "When will the tree grow?"

That's when Adrian brought peach honey preserves.

She remembered her eyes widening at the sight of the brandy-infused peach honey preserves.

It made her forget she was even sick.

"That golden peach still lingers in my memory. I thought if I got sick, I could eat that."

It had been an enormous comfort.

She could easily picture him battling a beehive for the honey, carefully dividing the peaches to test them one by one for fear of ruining them.

"That's nothing compared to a sick person."

At Adrian's words, Nina propped her chin and grinned.

"Yeah? I think differently."

Adrian shook his head. She was laughing about it now, but back then it had been serious.

Nina's cold had been quite severe, with intense coughing that brought up blood, phlegm that choked her breath and left her suffering.

And when the fever came? There was no answer.

Peach preserves?

If that brought comfort, he would have made them dozens, hundreds—no, tens of thousands of times.

"Once your body improved a bit, you could eat the leftover preserves too. Thin crepes wrapped around peaches, topped with cold cream."

Nina let out a sigh.

"I still remember that taste."

"We can make some and eat it."

"It won't taste the same as back then."

Nina stood up from her seat.

As she unloaded the luggage from the One-Horned Horse, Adrian immediately followed and took it from her, preparing a place to sleep.

A blanket spread on the ground and a slanted tent were set up in an instant.

It was fully open in the front, but that was more comfortable.

Easy to respond if enemies appeared. Though it could be said to make sleep more vulnerable,

'That's for ordinary people.'

With Nina and Adrian as a team, it was different.

As Nina crawled into the blanket, mumbling, she said,

"Wake me when it's time."

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"If you stay up all night alone, I'll make you train tomorrow."

"......Understood."

"Good."

Nina smiled in satisfaction and curled up to sleep.

She had been sleeping in comfortable beds lately, so the uneven ground and dampness felt directly, making it hard to fall asleep.

She tossed and turned, searching for a comfortable spot, when suddenly it became soft and cushy.

Startled, she reflexively rolled out of the blanket, then realized it was Adrian's spirit.

Nina looked at Adrian, embarrassed, and he chuckled lowly.

The sight of her bursting out of the tent like a startled cat made laughter bubble up involuntarily.

Nina grumbled softly, "Warn me at least......," as she crawled back into the blanket.

She didn't know what the shadow spirit was doing, but it no longer felt like a hard floor—it was like lying on something squishy and soft.

'A waterbed? A jelly bed?'

Either way, it was better than the stone ground, so Nina closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

Confirming Nina was asleep, Adrian dimmed the campfire further.

In the darkness, the fire twinkled like faint starlight.

Nina's white face, peeking out from the blanket, was faintly illuminated.

Gazing at her, he recalled the nightmare he'd had recently.

The dream where he stabbed Nina.

It had been so vividly real that the discomfort lingered for a long time.

The Nina in the dream had brown hair and a far more mature face than now.

Not twin tails, and her hair was short. Not the bright face she had now.

Yet it felt familiar.

It seemed to be after he and she had argued.

Dreams are like that, aren't they?

Backgrounds that only the self fully knows and understands.

The 'Adrian in the dream' thought.

I must keep her from going into dangerous battles.

I have to protect Nina.

In that case.

If I cut off one arm and sever a leg, she won't be able to fight anymore.

So he grabbed Nina and did it.

Deliberately cutting off the arm that held the sword, pinning down her writhing in pain, then stabbing her leg.

Cutting the leg too deep risked fatal blood loss, so he avoided the artery and pierced only the tendon.

The black sword.

The obsidian blade glistened as it drank Nina's blood.

As if satisfied. He hated his spirit.

Adrian tightly bandaged Nina's limbs. If left like this, someone would find her.

From behind, Nina cried out, "Your Grace!"

He wished he could accept her resentment and anger, but there was no time.

Because—

That's where he woke from the dream.

It was truly a dogshit dream.

His whole body was soaked in cold sweat. He kept dry-heaving.

The sensation of cutting her arm, slicing through flesh and bone, the blade digging into her thigh.

It was too real.

But what shook Adrian most was what he had done in the dream.

Wasn't it that unconsciously, he harbored such thoughts?

That he could harm Nina to protect her.

Bullshit.

That's what he thought, but his dream self had done it.

And hating his spirit?

Adrian had never thought that way.

Nina even liked his shadow, so he had no qualms.

The shadow was a perfect match for him. Like a mirror.

'Crazy bastard.'

He feared himself the most.

What if someday he harmed Nina with such absurd logic?

So when Nina, as if peering into his dreams, said, "Even if you stab me, I'll forgive you," anger had surged. Did she think of him that way too?

I.

I.

Adrian buried his face in both hands.

'Morning after all!'

Nina reacted sensitively to the faint light and bolted upright.

It was just starting to dawn. The campfire was down to embers, twinkling faintly.

"Kel?"

He wasn't there. Nina's nerves tensed all over.

She grabbed the sword left by her head and slowly stepped out of the tent.

"Captain."

At the careful voice calling her, Nina turned and immediately scowled.

"What are you doing?"

Adrian looked down at the leather waterskin he held.

"I went to fetch water."

"No, it's morning. What did I say yesterday? Morning training to show you..."

Her voice trailed off. The furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

Nina strode over and stood close to him.

"Adrian, are you okay? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

She whispered in a very small voice. Adrian's body leaned slightly forward.

"I had a dream."

Nina's fingertips lightly brushed his cheek, then her entire palm gently cupped it.

Adrian leaned his head into her hand and exhaled.

"What dream has you like this?"

"A really bad dream."

At Adrian's reply, Nina carefully examined him.

"Why? Did you dream of stabbing me?"

He flinched; she felt it through her palm.

"I've had a dream like that too."

"A dream of stabbing me?"

Adrian looked at Nina in surprise. Nina laughed.

"No, a dream of you stabbing me."

His face darkened.

After a long silence, he asked,

"Do you think that too, Nina?"

"No."

Her answer was firm, leaving Adrian momentarily speechless. He slowly opened his mouth.

"You know what thought I'm talking about, right?"

"Of course."

The thought that I might stab you.

"Adrian, think about it."

Her voice grew even softer, drawing Adrian's full attention.

"If you tried to stab me, do you think I'd just take it helplessly? I'm much stronger."